Construction World September 2024

MARKETPLACE

Strategic partnerships: key to advancing INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT In today's rapidly evolving infrastructure landscape, strategic partnerships have emerged as a cornerstone for advancing development across various sectors. Collaboration between government entities, private sector firms, and community stakeholders are not only essential for project delivery but also enhance efficiency and lead to superior quality outcomes.

Dr. Nolwandle Mgoqi, CEO of Aon South Africa.

C hris Campbell, CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), explains that strategic partnerships are instrumental in addressing the multifaceted challenges of infrastructure development. “By leveraging the strengths and resources of different stakeholders, collaboration fosters innovative solutions that can overcome financial constraints and streamline project execution. Public-private partnerships (PPPs), in particular, have proven effective in mobilising private investment, facilitating knowledge transfer, and ensuring long-term asset management. This collaborative approach enables the sharing of risks and rewards, ultimately leading to improved service delivery and enhanced community benefits.” The CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards which took place on 14 August 2024, showcased several exemplary strategic partnerships that have made notable contributions to infrastructure development. “These collaborations involve various member firms, their partners and clients, each playing a vital role in contributing to excellence in infrastructure development. These collective efforts not only demonstrate the power of collaboration but also set a benchmark for future initiatives,” adds Campbell. Dr. Nolwandle Mgoqi, CEO of Aon South Africa, reinforces this sentiment: “Aon understands and appreciates the

pivotal role that strategic partnerships play in building a sector that consistently grows and delivers excellence. It is these collaborative partnerships that deliver much needed infrastructure projects that lay the foundations for a more optimistic future for our communities, businesses, and economy. Infrastructure development significantly transforms societies in multiple ways, impacting economic growth, social development, quality of life, job creation, service delivery, social integration, sustainability and disaster preparedness. Infrastructure development is a cornerstone for societal transformation and at the heart of any and all progress and economic growth. “At Aon, we see it as our role to facilitate an environment where all the role players in infrastructure projects - from contractors, owners, developers, engineers, architects, designers, financiers and investors - are able to successfully navigate the expanding construction and infrastructure risk environment. “We do this by bringing our data and analytics, insights and tools to access the full extent of the risk capital value chain on every project, ensuring that every role player is able to make better decisions across their risk capital and human capital needs, to build a more resilient and sustainable future,” she concludes. 

Reforms to combat CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS In an era marked by the escalating impacts of climate change, the importance of developing resilient infrastructure has never been more critical. Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) is at the forefront of advocating for robust infrastructural strategies to combat the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events.

C onsulting Engineers South Africa CEO Chris Campbell, highlighted the necessity of revising infrastructure standards in response to more frequent and severe weather events. “For example, there have been revisions of standards regarding how close structures should be built to water courses. These standards are being updated to reflect the increased intensity and frequency of severe storms.” He further elaborated that traditional statistical models, which predict storm events every 100 years, are no longer sufficient. “These flood lines now have to move further back to ensure safety and resilience.” Local authorities play a vital role in this transition. “It's not just developers at fault; local authorities must enforce compliance with updated bylaws and building regulations,” Campbell asserted. Failure to do so, he warned, would result in more human catastrophes and property losses.

One of the pressing issues is the construction of informal settlements near water courses, making them highly vulnerable to flooding. “People building informal settlements close to water courses do so out of necessity, but this makes them incredibly vulnerable,” Campbell said. He also pointed out that even high value properties built close to water bodies for scenic views are at great risk, emphasising the importance of adherence to revised building regulations. The call to action is clear: integrated efforts from government, developers, and the community are essential to create resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding the challenges posed by climate change. “Building resilient infrastructure is not just about new projects but maintaining and adapting our current systems to ensure they can cope with future demands,” Campbell concluded. 

8 CONSTRUCTION WORLD SEPTEMBER 2024